There are several approaches to fuel distribution in widespread use. In retail distribution, a retail fueling station purchases fuel at a wholesale price or contract price for delivery to on-site tanks, but sells fuel to retail customers at a retail market price. As wholesale spot prices and retail market prices rise, a retail fuel station will generally raise its prices, even if the fuel in its storage tanks was purchased at a much lower price. Conversely, when wholesale spot prices fall, retail fueling stations will typically only lower their prices as necessary to avoid losing business to lower priced local alternatives, rather than passing along savings to customers.
Fleet distribution systems utilize a tank or tank farm and dispensing pumps that are shared by fleet vehicles. Fuel is typically purchased from distributors or wholesalers under a contract pricing arrangement or at the time of delivery, and dispensed as needed by fleet vehicles via shared dispensing stations. Cost allocation is sometimes performed on a first-in, first-out basis. The carrying costs and risk of the purchased fuel are borne by the fleet fueling operator, whereas contract pricing arrangements may shift some risk of unpredictable price fluctuation to the fuel provider.
Other distribution approaches and pricing models are employed by government agencies, municipalities, and other entities operating fleet vehicles or serving one or a few high-volume customers.
Many airports have or are planning to build consolidated QTAs, whether part of rental agency complexes (CONRACs) at which rental car agencies operate in a shared facility, sometimes a walkable distance from the main terminal, and sometimes further away, but accessed by a common transportation system, or to consolidate only QTA functions. CONRAC facilities may provide many benefits including reduced traffic, decreased pollution, and improved operational efficiencies. Consolidated QTA facilities may provide more efficient land use, environmental benefits, and cost and operational efficiencies. A CONRAC or QTA facility may be operated by the host airport, but is more typically operated by a facility manager or site manager who is responsible for the maintenance and operation of common facilities and certain core operations, such as car washes, and fuel storage and dispensing systems, for example. Alternatively, the fuel storage and dispensing system may be managed by a separate fuel manager. As used in the specification, the term “fuel manager” encompasses any person or entity responsible for managing the fuel storage and distribution system, system at a CONRAC or QTA facility, whether the same as or different from the site manager.
The present inventors have recognized that the carrying costs and risk of ownership associated with stored fuel are undesirable even for businesses that need fuel immediately available, and have devised improved systems and methods of storage, distribution and delivery that reduce such costs and risks for both the fuel distributor and the customers. As will be recognized in view of the following disclosure, such methods have particular utility in CONRACs and QTAs due to one or more aspects of such facilities, including the relatively small number of rental agencies in occupancy and needing fuel at each facility, high fuel requirements of those rental agencies, and consolidated or complex fuel storage and supply systems and equipment. Typically, neither car rental customers nor the general public have access to CONRAC or QTA fueling facilities. Managers of CONRAC and QTA facilities also have the ability to contract with fuel distribution companies and perhaps even fuel wholesalers to obtain low prices.